Man accused of cruising bus stop

WONDER LAKE – A registered sex offender faces several charges after a young girl reported his car driving past her bus stop on three different days, the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office said.

Joseph L. Perkins, 41, of 7418 Boston Road, was charged Friday with violating the Sex Offender Registration Act, driving while his license is suspended, and having an expired registration.

Thursday afternoon, the girl told a McHenry West High School official that, for the third day, a man driving a black car had driven by her morning bus stop in the area of Wonder Lake Road and Ash Street near Wonder Lake.

About 6:45 a.m. Friday, sheriff’s officers stopped Perkins in a 1997 Pontiac Grand Prix that had an expired registration. Perkins said he has lived and worked in McHenry County since January, authorities said. They said he never contacted the sheriff’s office or another department to notifiy authorities of his location change.

According to the Illinois Sex Offender Registry, Perkins was convicted of criminal sexual abuse in Lake County. He was 33 at the time of the offense; the victim was 13. He last reported living in the southwest suburb of Robbins.

Sheriff’s officials said they were grateful for the girl’s assistance, and encourage suspicious activity to be reported to the department at 815-338-2144.